Reader&#39;s aid and bookmark



May 1s, 1943 :N 'X Wi/b A. J. BAlLlE READERS AID AND BOOK MARK Filed Dec. 2s, 1940 IN VEN TOR.

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PatentedMay 18, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE READERS AID AND BOOKMARK Alfred J. Bailie, Philadelphia, Pa.

Application December 26, 1940, Serial No. 371,809

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a combined book mark and reading glass, it being one object of the invention to provide a device of this character which may be conveniently used either as a book mark, as a guide for following the lines of printing, or as a magnifying glass for permitting small print to be easily read, or printing of the usual size to be read by a, near-sighted person.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this character of such formation that it may be adjusted to permit one or more lines of printingon a page to be seen and read through an elongated magnifying glass constituting an element of the device.

Another object of the invention is to provide the device with companion sections so held in engagement with each other that While they may be easily adjusted they will be prevented from accidentally slipping out of adjusted position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this nature which is simple in construction, efcient in operation, and capable of being manufactured at small cost and sold at a low price.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the device.

Fig. 2 is a sectional View on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a. view similar to Fig. 2, showing the blades of the device shifted away from each other in order to expose a larger portion. of the magnifying glass.

Fig. 4 is a sectiona1 view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a View similar to Fig. 5, showing the adjusted position of the sections forming the device.

Fig. '7 is a longitudinal sectional view on the line I-'I of Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is a top plan view of one section of the device and the magnifying glass carried thereby.

Fig. 9 is a top plan view of the other section of the device.

Fig. 10 is a top plan view of a modified form of the device.

This improved book mark and reading device consists of companion members indicated generally by the numerals I and 2. Each is formed of wood, metal, or a suitable composition, and one carries an elongated lens 3 which extends longitudinally thereof with a portion projecting laterally therefrom in overlapping relation to the companion member. By adjusting the two members relative to each other, the width of the space between the two members and the portion of the lens or magnifying glass exposed through the space may be controlled. Therefore, when the device is in use, a single line of printing may be exposed through space between the two members for magnification by the glass 3, or the two members may be so spaced that several lines of printing will be visible through the exposed portion of the glass at one time. Upon referring to Figs. 2, 3 and 4, it Will be seen that the under surface of the lens is arcuate transversely of the lens. Therefore, the lens will not only serve as a magnifying glass but also, as a fulcrum for the device and when the device is in use, it may be rocked forwardly and rearwardly across its arcuate lower face to dispose the device at an angle suitable for the person using it and, in addition, the device may be tilted to a position permitting its edges to be readily grasped and the device gripped when it is to be shifted along a page of a book or lifted while turning the page.

Referring to Fig. 8, it will be seen that the member I consists of an enlarged end portion or plate 4 from which extends an arm or blade 5 of even width throughout its length and having straight inner and outer side edges, its outer side edge being flush with the outer side edge of the plate 4. The upper face of the plate 4 is recessed to form a seat 6 which is rectangular in formation and is provided upon its bottom with a plurality of longitudinally extending ribs or teeth I which preferably extend the full length of the seat but may be shorter, if desired. Openings 8 are formed through the bottom of the recess or seat in spaced relation to each other longitudinally thereof and, at their lower ends, communicate with non-circular sockets 8 which are preferably square. The thick outer end portion of the plate is formed with an opening I Ii in order that the device may be suspended from a nail when not in use.

The section 2, shown in Fig. 9, is also formed with an enlarged end portion or plate II, from which an arm or blade I2 extends. The plate II is of reduced thickness from its under side and of such length and width that it has snug t within the recess or seat 6 of the plate 4, as seen in Fig. 1, the thickness of the plate II being such that when it is engaged in the seat 6, its

I upper face is flush with the upper face of plate The relation of the plates and arms to each other is clearly shown in the sectional views 2 through 1, and referring to Figs. 2 and 3, it will be seen that the 'lens or magnifying glass 3 is secured along the under face of the arm and projects laterally from the inner side edge thereof in overlapping relation to the under face of the arm I2 with a portion exposed through space between the inner side edges of the arms. When the two sections are in the initial position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the arms will be spaced from each other in such manner that a single line of printing will be exposed through the space and the uncovered portion of the glass 3, but when the member 2 is shifted away from member I, the space between the inner side edges of the arms will be increased, as shown in Fig. 3, and several lines of printing may be viewed through the glass. The under face of the plate II is formed with longitudinally extending ribs or teeth I3 of such size and shape that they inter-engage with the ribs or teeth 'I when the plate II is fitted in the seat 8. Therefore, shifting of the plate II within the seat will be controlled and the two arms 5 and I2 held parallel to each other. Slots I4 are formed in the plate II transversely thereof in such spaced relation to each other that the openings 8 register with the slots when the plate II is fitted in the seat or recess. Therefore, bolts I5 may be passed upwardly through the openings 8 and through the slots with which these openings register and when the cap nuts I6 of the bolts are applied and tightened, the plate II will be firmly clamped within the seat 6 with the ribs or teeth of the two plates interlocked to prevent slipping in case the nuts should become loosened. The bolts have their heads seated in the sockets 9 and since these heads conform to the shape of the sockets, the bolts will be prevented from turning in the openings 8 during tightening of the nuts.

In Fig. there has been shown a modied construction. In this embodiment, the device consists of a single plate or strip II which is formed midway its width with a. longitudinally extending slot I8 leading from one end, an opening I9 being formed near the other end of the plate and corresponding to the opening I0. A lens or magnifying glass is applied to the under face of the plate in bridging relation to the slot and a line of printing is read through the portion of the glass exposed through the slot. The slot may terminate in spaced relation to the end of the plate, if so desired.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A device of the character described comprisilng companion members shiftable relative to each other to dispose inner side edges of the members in predetermined spaced relation to each other and provide a reading space of predetermined width, and a magnifying glass xed against the under face of one member and overlapped by the other member with a portion exposed through the readingspace, said magnifying glass having a transversely curved under surface and constituting a fulcrum permitting transverse tilting of the device.

2. A device of the character described comprising companion plates disposed one upon the other and shiftable transversely of each other to adjusted positions, and arms of appreciably less width than the plates extending from ends of said plates with their inner side edges in transverse spaced relation to each other to provide a reading space between inner side edges of the arms, and a, lens mounted against the under face of one arm and extending across the space between the arms and overlapped by the other arm with a portion exposed through the space between the arms, the lens having a transversely arcuate lower surface and constituting a fulcrum for transverse tilting of the device.

3. A device of the character described comprising upper and lower plates disposed one upon the other and shiftable transversely of each other, an arm extending from the inner end of each plate, inner side edges of said arms being spaced from each other to provide a reading space between the arms, the lower plate having its upper face recessed to form a seat open along the inner side edge of the said plate and at the inner end thereof, said seat being spaced from the outer side edge of the lower plate to provide a side wall for the seat, the upper plate tting within the seat and being of a thickness to dispose surfaces of the plates and arms flush with each other, the upper plate being shiftable in the seat from retracted position to extended position for moving the arms toward and away from each other and varying the width of the reading slot between the arms, movement of the upper plate toward retracted position being limited by engagement of the upper plate with the side wall of the seat While the arms are spaced from each other to provide a reading slot of minimum width, the upper plate being formed with transversely extending slots and the lower plate having openings registering with the slots, bolts passing through the openings and the slots, and fasteners carried by protruding ends of the bolts and when tightened holding the plates in set positions with the arms spaced from each other a desired distance.

4. The structure of claim 3, wherein the seat and the under face of the upper plate are formed with longitudinally extending ribs V-shaped in cross section and having intertting engagement with each other to retain the arms in parallel relation to each other.

ALFRED J. BAILIE. 

